Cable connector protector



Dec. 19, 1961 w. A. BERGLUND 3,014,194

CABLE CONNECTOR PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 6, 1961 HWAA bail, I

IN VEN TOR.

W/L HEL M A. 5526.4 uA/o A 7-7-0 ENE KS weather-resistant plastic.

Unite 3,014,194 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,014,194 CABLE CONNECTORPROTECTOR Wilhelm Axel Berglund', 6834 W. Ardmore,

. Chicago 31, Ill. Filed Jan. 6, 1961 Ser. No. 81,089 Claims. (Cl.339-75) This invention relates to a novel and improved electrical cableconnector protector.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an efiicient andpractical device of the kind indicated which is" waterproof anddirt-proof, and which imposes the strains which produce separation ofthe components of the connector, on the cables of the components, ratherthan on the components, whereby a cable equipped with the device can beroughly handled and pulled through water puddles and dirt under severeservice conditions, such as on outdoor construction projects, withoutincurring separation of the components of the connector and withoutdanger of short circuits and electrical shock to workmen.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, easilyinstalled, and compact device of the character indicated above whichincludes wedge means, at its ends, through which the insulated lines ofthe cable connector components are positioned, which serve to increasetheir grip on the lines whenever the lines are stressed or strainedendwise away from each other;

A further object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensivedevice of the character indicated above,

which can be made almost entirely of flexible plastic, and

which is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembledparts.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a protector of the presentinvention, installed and closed on a connectorequipped electrical cable;

FIGURE 2 is a side perspective view of said protector, showing its slidefastener in partially disengaged condition;

FIGURES 3' and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sections taken on the lines33 and 4-4, respectively, of FIG- URE 1;

FTGURE 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are transverse sections taken on the lines 66 and 77,respectively, of FIGURE 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 generallydesignates an insulated electrical cable connection, composed of twolines or sections 12 and 14, which terminate in and are electricallyconnected to a female connector plug 16 and a male connector plug 18,respectively. The cable sections 12 and 14 have insulating coverings 20'of compressible insulating material, such as rubber orneoprene. It is tobe understood that the illustrative protector of the present invention,generally designated 22, is alsoapplicable to other forms of separablecable connectors.

The protector 22 comprises a longitudinally elongated tubularcylindrical body 24 having limited flexibility and compressibility, andpreferably molded of waterproof and The main or middie part of the body24 has a relatively thin uniform cross. section sidewall 26, and thesidewall 26 merges, at its ends, into similar solid outwardly taperedconical end portions 28. The end portions 28 are formed with axial,outwardly tapering blind bores 30, which, open at their larger diameterends 32, into the cylindrical chamber 34 which is defined by thesidewall 26 and the inner ends of the end portions 28. At their smallerdiameter outer ends, the blind bores 30 are closed by end walls 36 whichhave axial openings 38 therethrough which are smaller in diameter thanthe blind bores and are dimensioned to receive therethrough the cablesections 12 and 14, without substantial compression of their insulatingcoverings 20; but with a suificiently close fit to prevent entry of dirtand water into the blind bores.

One side of the body 22 has a radial, longitudinal slit 40 therein;which extends from end to end of the body and enters the blind bores 30and the openings 38. The body 22 has suffi'cient flexibility to enablethe resultant body sections 42 at opposite sides of the slit 40, to bepulled away from each other, to provide entrance for and access to theconnected female and male connector plugs 16 and 18, respectively, inthe chamber 34, and the related cable sections 12 and 14, respectively,in the'blirid bores 30 and the openings 38.

The halves of the blind bores 30 which are in the facing surfaces of thebody sections 40 are indicated by longitudinal, outwardly tapered wedgecross section recesses 44, whose larger inner ends open to the chamber34, as shown in FIGURE 3, and whose smaller outer e nds can reach to theend walls 36. As shown in- FIGURE 7, the side walls 46 of the recesses44' converge laterally inwardly to define restricted longitudinalopenings or slots 48.

Confined in the recesses 44 and slidable therealong are wedges 50' whichconform in cross section to the recesses 44 and are shorter than therecesses. The spaces between the confronting faces 52 of the wedges 50,when the wedges are adjacent the larger inner ends of the recesses 44,are wide enough to easily admit the cable sections 12 and 14 therebelow,but when the cable sections are pulled endwise relative to each otherand relative to the end portions 28 of the body 22, the wedges are movedoutwardly, in the recesses 44, by frictional engagement with the cablesections, so that the confronting faces 52 of the wedges approach eachother and indent and clamp the insulating coverings 20 of the cablesections, as shown in FIGURE 3, whereby further outward movements of thecable sections, relative to the body 22 are precluded, and the pullingstresses and strains are imposed upon the body 22, rather than upon theconnector plugs. It is to be noted that the cable sections 12 and 14 areinitially engaged between the wedges 50 with some slack between theconnector plugs and the related end portions 28 of the body 22, so thatthe above described outward movements of the cable section and theWedges can take place without separating the cable connector plugs 16and 18.

The body sections 42 are connected together and sealed against theentrance of dirt and water into the chamber 34 and the blind bores 30,by means of a slide fastener assembly 54. The assembly 54 comprisessimilar but reversed wedge cross section longitudinal grooves 56 whichindent the outer surface of the body 22, at locations close to andspaced from the facing surfaces 58 of the body sections 42, as shown inFIGURE 7. Between the surfaces 58 and the inner sides 60 of the grooves56 are longitudinal ribs 62 which have outer surfaces. 64- Whieh arespaced radially inwardly from the outer surface of the body 22. Theinner sides 60 and the outer sides 66 of the grooves 56 converge in aradially outward direction. For assuring registry of the body section42, in the closed condition of the body 22, one facing surface 58 isformed with a longitudinal groove 68 and the other surface 58 with alongitudinal rib 70 to engage in the groove 68. v

The fastener assembly 54 further comprises an elongated flat andflexible slide 72 which has, in its underside a central wedge-shapedgroove 74 to conformably and slidably receive the ribs 62, andWedge-shaped ribs 76, at the opposite sides of the groove 74, toconformably and slidably engage in the grooves 56. As shown in FIGURES 1and 4, the slide 72 is sufiiciently long to extend the full length ofthe body 22, including the sidewall 26 and the end portions 28, and hasfree ends 78 which register with the ends of the body 22. The ribs 76 ofthe slide 72 can be engaged in the body section grooves 56, either byentering the ribs 76 endwise at one end of the grooves 56, or, asindicated in FIGURE 2, by accurately positioning the slide 72 along thebody 22 and snapping the ribs 76 into the grooves 56, removal of theslide 72 being done by reversals of one or the other of theseoperations.

To assure retention of the slide 72 in locking position on the body 22,flat, transversely elongated flexible pull tabs 80 are provided, whichextend across the top of the slide 72, at locations near to and spacedinwardly from the ends 78 of the slide, and are hinged along theirlongitudinally inward edges, as indicated at 82, to the top of theslide. The pull tabs 80 extend equally at opposite sides of the slide72, and have downwardly opening female snap fastener elements 84, whichare adapted to be separably connected to upstanding male snap fastenerelements 86, which are fixed on the outer surfaces of the body sections42, at opposite sides of the body grooves 56, near the ends of the body22. When the snap fastener elements are engaged with each other, theslide 72 is securely engaged with the body 22 and prevented from beingmoved or disengaged from the body, by any external forces anticipatedunder expected service conditions, and the slide 72 seals the body slitagainst entrance of dirt and water. The pull tabs 80 also serve asconvenient means for pulling the slide 72 out of engaged and lockingposition, preparatory to separating the body sections 42 to gain accessto the interior of the body 22, for placement or removal of the cableand its connector plugs 16 and 18.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular bodyhaving a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cableconnector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blindbores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sectionsrelated to the connector plugs, said blind bores being taperedlongitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engagedwith opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engagecable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardlytapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections uponlongitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to thebody accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to saidchamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radialslit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to thechamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides ofthe slit, and a longitiudinally-elongated flexible slide bridging theslit and releasably engageable with means provided on said body section.

2. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular bodyhaving a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cableconnector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blindbores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sectionsrelated to the connector plugs, said blind bores being taperedlongitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engagedwith opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engagecable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardlytapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections uponlongitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to thebody accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to saidchamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radialslit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to thechamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides ofthe slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separablefastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit,said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexibleslide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, theouter surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinalgrooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and groovesbeing complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other.

3. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular bodyhaving a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cableconnector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blindbores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sectionsrelated to the connector plugs, said blind bores being taperedlongitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engagedwith opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engagecable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardlytapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections uponlongitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to thebody accompanied by the Wedges, and means providing access to saidchamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radialslit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to thechamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides ofthe slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separablefastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit,said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexibleslide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, theouter surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinalgrooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and groovesbeing complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, theribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves.

4. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular bodyhaving a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cableconnector plugs, said body having end portions formed with axial blindbores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sectionsrelated to the connector plugs, said blind bores being taperedlongitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable Wedges engagedwith opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engagecable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally outwardlytapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections uponlongitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to thebody accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to saidchamher and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radialslit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to thechamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides ofthe slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separablefastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit,said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexibleslide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, theouter surfaces of said body sections being indented with longitudinalgrooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and groovesbeing complementarily wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, theribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves, andflexible pull tabs extending across the slide adjacent to the ends ofthe slide, said tabs being hinged upon the outer surface of the slide.

5. A cable connector protector comprising an elongated tubular bodyhaving a chamber intermediate its ends to receive engaged cableconnector plugs, said body having end portions formed With axial blindbores smaller in diameter than said chamber for receiving cable sectionsrelated to the connector plugs, said blind bores being taperedlongitudinally outwardly, opposed longitudinally slidable wedges engagedwith opposed sides of said bores to receive and frictionally engagecable sections therebetween, said wedges being longitudinally ont-Wardly tapered to wedge against opposite sides of cable sections uponlongitudinally outward movements of the cable sections relative to thebody accompanied by the wedges, and means providing access to saidchamber and said bores, said body being flexible and having a radialslit extending the length of the body and reaching inwardly to thechamber and the bores, and defining body sections at opposite sides orthe slit, said body sections having facing surfaces, and separablefastener means engaged with the body sections and bridging the slit,said fastener means comprising a longitudinally elongated and flexibleslide having laterally spaced longitudinal ribs on its underside, theouter surface of said body sections being indented with longitudinalgrooves located at opposite sides of said slit, the ribs and groovesbeing complementarily Wedge-shaped and interengaged with each other, theribs being adapted to be snapped into and out of the grooves, andflexible pull tabs extending across the slide adjacent to the ends ofthe slide, said tabs being hinged upon the outer surface of the slide.said tabs extending beyond opposite sides of the slide and havingseparable snap fastener elements on their ends, and complementary snapfastener elements on the outer surface of the body with which the firstmentioned snap fastener elements are engageable.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.20,074 Stahl Aug. 18, 1936 2,106,724 Cope Feb. 1, 1938 20 2,908,744Bollmeier Oct. 13, 1959 2,913,791 Martin Nov. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS505,013 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1938

